Exploring Doha - Day 2 - 16 August 2024

I had been weather stunned yesterday and looked forward to a good night's rest in bed. Alas, that was not to be! I got ready to leave early and I had a long program ahead for the day. The weather was better than yesterday, the humidity was lower and the intensity of heat was also less. Therefore, the skyline of the Bay was clearly visible this day. The walk from the hotel to the Doha dhow harbor took me about 20 minutes. There was a ferry loading for the Banana Island, mostly with employees of the resort and spa.

The dhow harbor was the centre of fishing and pearling in the first quarter of the 20th century. Between 250 and 300 boats used to be moored there then. Dhows are built of hardwood planks sewn together with ropes. They were ubiquitous across the Indian ocean and were the most popular trading vessels. They differed in shape and size depending on the region. Traditional Qatari dhows are double masted with triangular sails.

The Pearl Monument at the entrance to the dhow harbor is situated on Corniche Street. The fountain sculpture depicts a giant open oyster presenting a massive pearl in its mouth. This fountain, which lights up at night, provides an ideal photo opportunity while paying homage to Qatar’s pearling history. While oil made Qatar rich, the Gulf nation hasn’t forgotten its seafaring roots.

Prior to the discovery of oil in 1939, pearling was one of Qatar’s primary revenue streams. Besides the gamble it was, as only one in ten thousand oysters contains a pearl, the divers were constantly threatened by the proximity of barracudas, sharks and sea snakes. Moreover, diving took a huge toll on the driver's body too.

The Doha Corniche is a seven-kilometer waterfront promenade that links the historic south of Old Doha to the modern central business district of Al Dafna at the northern end of the crescent shaped Doha Bay. The promenade has wide pedestrian walkway right along the waterfront and a two-lane bicycling track on the inside. Rental bikes and scooties are available at intermediate locations for hire.

The Corniche is a lush green, semi-circular, palm ringed public space that serves as the central location for national celebrations. The Qatar National Day Parade and National Sports Day are held at the National Day Deck. Various religious, civic, and sporting events are also held here making it one of the most popular tourist and recreational destinations in Qatar.

Along the Corniche are many viewpoints that offer superb photo opportunities. Not far from the Pearl Monument is a lasting tribute to the Football World Cup hosted by Qatar in 2022. Flagpoles of the 32 nations that competed for the World Cup line the access to where the World Cup symbol is on permanent display. The deck is a good place to spend time, provided the weather is good.

The World Cup symbol was designed by Unlock, a studio based in Lisbon, Portugal. The symbol also appears similar to the infinity symbol, which is meant to represent the “interconnected nature” of the world cup and undulations of sand dunes. Moreover, the similarity with the number eight is meant to highlight the number of stadiums being used for the event.

One of the most prominent buildings one can notice on a Corniche Walk is the Amiri Diwan, which is the administrative office of the ruler of Qatar, the Emir. It represents the figurative and bureaucratic center of the country. The Emir is assisted by the Deputy Emir and the Prime Minister, who also function from the same building.

The Al Bidda park was formerly known as the Al Rumaila Park was created in the 1990s and is one of the oldest parks in Doha. The huge lung area overlooks the Corniche and the Doha Bay. Well laid out walkways, manicured gardens, children's play area, lush lawns and abundance of car parking make it one of the sought-after parks in Doha. The Park was closed for four years between 2014 and 2018 for renovation. The Arches of Rumaila is an interesting piece of architecture in the park grounds.

By the time I reached the Arches of Rumaila I was exhausted and dead beat. I lay there in the shade for a while to recharge. I managed to walk to the 2006 Asian Games Mascot statue on the Corniche and virtually collapsed. My legs refused to move anymore. An Arabian oryx called Orry served as the mascot of the 2006 Asian Games. The colors used for the mascot represented Qatar's landscape; yellow, the crescent-shaped sand dunes of the desert, blue the calm sea of the Gulf and red the sun and warm spirit of Asia. The mascot was unveiled on the waterfront on 1 January 2005 symbolising the start of the countdown to the Games.

With my body almost in a state of collapse I had to get a Uber ride to get to the Tornado Tower, which is the tenth tallest building in Qatar. It is 52 floors of office space in the modern part of Doha city at one end of the Doha Corniche. The Canadian and Australian embassies are based in the building. I had hoped to get a ride to the top of the building to enjoy a view of the Corniche and the surrounding skyline. The security guard politely told me that access within the building is restricted because of the high-profile nature of the occupants of the magnificent building.

My body just wouldn't cooperate with me any further to walk to the metro station. I had to hail a Uber once again to get back to the hotel room. Both my Uber drivers are from Pakistan. They were so polite and friendly that I held up a conversation throughout the rides. The one who dropped me at the hotel was hesitant to take the fare as he said that I am a visitor to the country. Both the drivers felt that Doha is better than Dubai for business. However, they both voiced that business has been dull over the past two years, after the World Cup.

The Villagio Mall is in the outskirts of the city and mercifully it is connected by the Gold Line Metro. I took the metro train from Souq Waqif station and alighted at the end of the line in Al Aziziyah. Housed on a massive plot of 360,000 sqm, with a built-up mall area of 183,000 sqm the Mall is humongous. It has, on an average, 50,000 footfalls a day, toting up over 1.5 million a month. This is testimony to the unrivalled Villagio experience. It meets the demand of every type of viator.

Villaggio is the most sought-after destination in Qatar for top-of-the-line luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Gucci, Valentino and Dolce and Gabbana. Its Venetian styled interiors combined with an astonishing range of shopping, dining and entertainment venues make it a unique and unforgettable attraction. The gondola ride in the Aspire Lake within the Mall is something to die for.

The Aspire Tower, also known as The Torch Doha, is a 300-meter-tall skyscraper hotel, a stone's throw away from the Villagio Mall. It was the focal point during the 2006 Asian Games. It is currently the second tallest tower in all of Qatar, having been surpassed by the Lusail Plaza Tower in 2023. It is also said to the tallest external screen in the whole world.

Just beside it is the main venue of the 2006 Asian Games, the Khalifa International Stadium. The massive, fully roofed, multi-purpose stadium can seat over 45,000 spectators. Opposite the Khalifa International Stadium is the separate Women's stadium, a dome shaped structure. All these families come within the Aspire Zone or Doha Sports City.

The last stop for the day was Msheireb Downtown Doha. It stands as a testament to the city's commitment to redefine urban living. It is a thriving urban haven, designed to nurture living, leisure, and business in perfect harmony. Its coveted location makes it an exemplary destination for retail, commercial, residential, and civic services.

Msheireb Downtown Doha boasts of an entire city district where all buildings are either Gold or Platinum LEED-certified, setting the highest standard for green building services. It is also the holder of a Guinness World Record for the largest underground car park, featuring 10,017 spaces. The achievement was officially recognized on May 12, 2024. Msheireb Downtown Doha embraced advanced technology features in its infrastructure and services to cater to the evolving needs of future generations. The tram services are a useful addition to the Downton infrastructure service.